Huckabee Warns Settler Violence Harms Israel’s Global Standing

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned violence by a small minority of Jewish extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank, calling it terrorism and warning that it is damaging Israel’s reputation and alienating supporters, particularly in the United States. He said Israel needs allies and that the actions of a few should not tarnish the roughly half-million Israelis who live in the territory, while continuing to defend Israel’s right to build in parts of the West Bank and maintaining views broadly aligned with the settlement movement. His remarks follow attacks and threats linked to settlers, including an attempted mosque arson and graffiti targeting Huckabee after he criticized violence in Qusra. Huckabee also said violence should be condemned regardless of who commits it and warned that younger Americans could increasingly associate Israel with such attacks.